Jackass Critics

Film and DVD Reviews.

Fun with Dick and Jane review by Right of Center

I have to say I was mildly entertained by this movie, it wasn't gut bustlingly (is that a word?) funny but overall consistently amusing. Dick played by Jim Carrey and Spooky Mulder's real life wife Ta Leoni as Jane are two working parents with a Mexican maid\nanny. They are so busy that their kid actually speaks more Spanish than English. They live in suburbia where one-upping the neighbors is a sport. Dick who is a cog for an Enron type company gets a call to go up to the 50 th floor, which is a pretty big deal and can mean only good things. True to form, Dick finds out that he has been promoted to VP of communications. This means big things so Jane quits her job so she can spend more time with the kid, thank god!!

The high jinx ensues after Dick has been used as a pawn on a live air news interview to answer questions about his company's nefarious doings. The paper shredding starts and Dick learns he is going to take the fall. The company falls apart and you can feel his pain as he tries to find a new job comparable to his old one. The couple goes slowly insane as there are no jobs available and the house utilities are cut off one by one. Eventually he is reduced to a door greeter (not that there's anything wrong with that) at the local mega-store. Meanwhile the Super A-Hole president of the company, Alec Baldwin, who sells his stock and robs the employee pension plan, is doing great feigning concern for the people. Hollywood never misses an opportunity to make the point that rich people are greedy pricks ready to screw over the little guy. This is a prime example of the Hollywood's liberal bias gone wild. Last time I looked, pretty much everyone involved in the making of movies were rich, greedy pricks themselves. I really think it would have been appropriate to have Martha Stewart play the role, she wouldn't have had to act. Dick and Jane are at their wits end when inspiration strikes... things start to take shape after they become robbers.

Jim Carrey - what is it about this guy that we love his characters but if we were in a room with him for 5 minutes we'd probably punch his smiling face in. He is much like Robin Williams but is actually funny. He certainly brings life to the character, he is typical Carrey with the facial expressions and the body animations. Ta Leoni looks good in this movie although I'm not so sure about her acting at times. I didn't really understand why she didn't try to get a job. Alec Baldwin was pretty good as the thieving pompous prick role. He brings to life the attitude of those real life scumbag corporate unconscionable crooks that we'd love to have a couple hours alone with in a sound proof garage with a blow torch and some pliers; Yeah you heard me I'm talkin' prison rules. Well he does get his comeuppance but not to my satisfaction.

This movie was a remake of the original 1977 comedy with Jane 'The Commie' Fonda and George Segal. Have a few beers while you're watching this one, it'll be funnier. I'll give this a 6, I feel like it's the usual formulaic stuff that Hollywood spews out to fill in the holes while they search for their blockbuster movies.